Like many compassionate vets before him, Dr Kovac will treat wildlife emergencies and the pets of homeless people free of charge. Going a step further, this vet has created Project Hope to help a range of other pets or people in crisis. Distressed by situations where pet owners genuinely could not afford treatment, Kovac was caught up in a bleak life and death dilemma.

To not provide treatment would mean the suffering or death of an animal. Witnessing the owners’ wretched emotions too, financially unable to pursue treatment options for their pet but not wanting to let their pet down was intense and painful for all concerned.

And so Project Hope was born to prevent vets and disadvantaged owners ever having to bargain over life and death. Project Hope raises funds to alleviate the burden on struggling owners so that no animal suffers through economic disadvantage. As well as running the occasional fundraiser, public donations and contributing his own dollars to cover costs at his clinic, Dr Kovac and his vet clinic colleagues have now launched a crowdfunding campaign to enable other vets around the country to provide free treatment where there is genuine need.

This came about following contact from interstate vets and welfare agencies wanting to refer financially disadvantaged pet owners to Kovac’s clinic. The crowdfunding target of $50,000 would foot the bills for local vet treatment wherever the owner is located. Dr Sam Kovac understands that losing your home or income would be one of the worst situations to find oneself in, let alone losing your pet as well.